Donovan James Potter was confused.
Donovan, or Donny to his friends, was concerned over his parent's recent behavior. Yes his parents still spoiled him something awful, still said that they loved him on a regular basis, and still went about their normal routines as normal. But something was different. The conversations between his father and mother were much colder than they used to be. They also held more urgent and hushed conversations than they used to as well.
Donny was not stupid, he knew something had changed after they had visited the goblins a couple of months ago. Then the headmaster had visited them several times since then as well and things within the Potter household seemed to just seem to get tenser. He wasn't sure what had brought such problems into his home and his family, but he was determined to find out and put an end to it.
Such are the declarations of a 9-year-old anyway.
*Silent Compassion*
When Severus had gotten up that morning, he had expected it to be just a normal day off where he got to spend time with his son. When he sat down to the kitchen table with a cup of coffee and the newest issue of the Daily Prophet in his hand, as soon as he read the headline, Severus knew today was going to be hell.
DAILY PROPHET: SPECIAL EDITION
Lillian Potter Found Dead This Morning
Accident or Death Eater's Revenge?
"Shit," Severus exclaimed before going to the floo to make some inquiries. Today was going to be hell.
*Silent Compassion*
The Order of Phoenix sat morosely around the Weasley's kitchen table. James Potter was still at the Ministry filing paperwork about the incident of finding his wife died early this morning in their living room. They knew nothing other than James had alerted the Aurors and Dumbledore that Lily was dead and Rita Skeeter said there was evidence of foul play.
"Rita has been known to lie" Arthur decided to suggest to the group before getting a scoff from Mad-Eye Moody.
"She has also been known to have an obscene amount of knowledge that she shouldn't know. If there wasn't any foul play James would have been released hours ago. They are most likely questioning him and Donovan to make sure neither knows anything nor was involved."
"No! Not the boy-who-lived!" Several exclaimed, causing the old Auror vet to huff in disbelief at the idiots that were part of the Order.
"No one believes that the young Potter boy killed anyone, but it is required for them to do it anyway. They wouldn't want to be accused of favoritism, especially by the traditionalist party who could force someone else to take over the investigation, and then Lily's death could be sweep under the rug. Do you want that?!" Moody roared at them, causing them all to jump but most who spoke out nodded guiltily. Having not thought about the political angle this case would inflict.
"Well Dumbledore is at the Ministry with James and I am sure they will return soon with good news." Molly nodded confidently, going back to bustling around the kitchen to get more tea for the large crowd.
*Silent Compassion*
"This could be bad for us," Lucius muttered. Severus, Lucius, and Tom were gathered in Severus' office to discuss the repercussions of Lillian's death.
"I've been declared dead for years, no one has heard anything from any active loyal death eaters. There is no way to pin this on us." Tom shook his head in disagreement, but Severus sneered.
"You say that like they need real death eaters to blame anything on. Just look at Sirius Black! We all know he wasn't a death eater, he was Potter's best friend even, but now he just sits and rots in Azkaban. The light doesn't care for actual justice. If anything, if there is evidence of foul play, it was likely someone from the light side that murdered her in the first place, they will definitely try to divert that attention to the dark." Severus lectured. Oh, he no longer held any love or affection as he once had for Lily, but he had a bad feeling about her death. He also just held the sinking feeling that something had happened during their 5th year that made her change so much.
"Severus does have a point. Lucius, see who's ears you can whisper into in the ministry, maybe mention it to the upcoming minister candidates that Lily's death while suspicious could have only been done by someone close. Potter Manor has heavy wards done by the goblins, they don't want to spark another goblin war by suggesting someone could seriously get past their wards so easily." Tom said with a grimace. All his plans would definitely go to hell if another goblin rebellion broke out. The upcoming election would provide them the best leverage for investigating the light and turning some of the neutrals away from the light's fear-mongering.
"I'll leave right away Tom, I'll see what details I can get from the Aurors about the crime scene." Lucius nodded, brushing a kiss against Severus' lips before heading to the floo. Tom grinned at Severus' embarrassment.
"Bloody peacock" Severus grumbled.
"You know you love the attention from him. You should go a little easier on him. Especially since his divorce will be finalized after the new year. He will be free to pursue you publically again." Tom mentioned, only slightly teasing.
"I do love him," Severus muttered with a sigh, "Sometimes I worry though that once 'Cissa and him have separated that he will realize that he is free to pursue whoever he wants and he will realize that I was just convenient to have."
"Severus you are a brilliant man, but sometimes you are the biggest idiot I have ever known," Tom said with a snark that could match Severus' own. "Lucius loves you. Lucius would do almost anything for you as long as it didn't hurt Draco. Most people would adore being fawned over by such a powerful and wealthy man as Lucius. Just accept his advances before your son comes up with any more evil plots to get you two together and married before he goes off to school.
"Wait… 'Rian is doing what now?"
"He wants to be able to go off to school with you married and Draco as his proper legal brother. So you have less than a year and a half to get your shit together. I will employ Narcissa as a last-ditch effort if Hadrian hasn't gotten her cooperation already."
"I blame your influence on him," Severus grumbled.
"Keep telling yourself that Severus."
*Silent Compassion*
Auror Maximillian Dixon, Max to his friends, was already having a rough week when Lady Potter's case popped up on his desk. He knew Auror Potter even if forbidden from the case would be hovering and criticizing anyone handling the case. If anything made Max an outsider in the Auror corps was the small fact of his dislike for the Potter family, specifically James 'My Son Is Famous' Potter. Max had a small suspicion that he was being assigned this case due to his dislike of James Potter. Only he would be loud enough to keep James away from the case that he wasn't going to be allowed on.
Picking up the file and going over the preliminary evidence already told him a lot. One, that this case was going to be messy. Two, this was going to piss a lot of people off. And three, he might get to arrest James Potter at least twice before the end of the case. Oh, he was going to enjoy this one.
"Auror Dixon!" A loud, grating voice called. Max already wanted to shoot himself. James Potter stopped in front of the exit to Max's cubical, leaving him no choice but to speak with the annoyance personified as a human being.
"Yes, Potter?" Dixon drawled.
"I know your busy with those poisoning cases down on Knockturn still, I can take the new case off your hands no problem," James said while reaching for the new blue case file laying on Max's desk. Oh, Max was going to enjoy putting Potter into his proper place.
"You already know you cannot be on this case, Potter. So I suggest you get your hands off the file and report to the Head Auror before I write you up for obstruction on an active case." Max said in his politest tone, even remembering to smile while threatening him.
James' look automatically darkened. "I will have that case on my desk by the end of the day or your career here within the ministry will be over and you will struggle to even hold a job within the magical community at all. I am sure the muggles will have better uses for your talents."
"Ah threatening the lead auror on a case that might implicate your perfect image Potter? Well, let's just wait and see what the Minister and Head Auror think when I show them a pensive memory, hmm?" Max said with a shark grin, making Potter pale before turning sharply and leaving his cubical in a huff.
"Oh Lily, what a gift you have given me with your death. Let's go make chaos and find your killer hmm?" Max said with a grin, picking up the case file and making his way up to the Head Auror's office. Maybe it would be a good week after all.